Next-Generation Offshore Power Solutions
Microturbines for Oil and Gas: Market Overview
Proving a Point: How Microturbines are
Demonstrating Their Value in the Real World
Why Microturbine Power Generation
Outshines the Rest
Bigger is Better â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Future of
Microturbine Electric Generators

Sponsored by

Published by Global Business Media

SPECIAL REPORT: NEXT GENERATION MICROTURBINE TECHNOLOGY

SPECIAL REPORT

Next Generation
Microturbine Technology

Contents
Foreword

2

Tom Cropper, Editor
Next-Generation Offshore Power Solutions
Microturbines for Oil and Gas: Market Overview
Proving a Point: How Microturbines are
Demonstrating Their Value in the Real World
Why Microturbine Power Generation
Outshines the Rest
Bigger is Better – The Future of
Microturbine Electric Generators

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Included in the article are just a few of the many
cases where Capstone Microturbines have

the latest models are proving themselves in some of
the most challenging areas of the world.

significantly increased power availability while reducing

As they exhibit the ability to operate reliably over a

footprint, weight as well as operating costs. The article

prolonged period of time, with reduced maintenance

concludes with Capstone’s vision for the future of

issues, higher energy output and lower running costs,

offshore power generation.

they are proving to be a viable technology for the

Multiple factors are causing oil rig operators

next phase of oil exploration. That, and their ability to

to reconsider the way in which they use power.

operate off excess gasses and thereby reduce flaring,

Pressure on profit margins drive the search for new

means that they may well represent that ‘all in one’

technologies, methods and business practices which

solution that the industry has been searching for.

can reduce costs while injecting greater efficiency.

With major microturbine generators such as

More stringent regulatory oversight, meanwhile, is

Capstone, Ingersoll Rand and others viewing the

coming into force regarding rig safety, crew welfare,

oil and gas market as a major area of growth

and the environmental impact of oil rig operation.

potential, new microturbine solutions are continuously

Strict penalties are being imposed on high emission

being added, designed specifically for the oil and

practices such as flaring while the expansion into deep

gas market.

water areas brings drilling operations into contact with
fragile marine ecosystems.
All this has to be achieved while simultaneously
satisfying our insatiable desire for more oil. Extracting
more oil from existing sources while exploring new

Tom Cropper
Editor

Tom Cropper has produced articles and reports on various aspects of global business over
the past 15 years. He has also worked as a copywriter for some of the largest corporations in
the world, including ING, KPMG and the World Wildlife Fund.

Introduction
Power generation is a critical and costly part of
offshore operations. Traditionally, the industry
has relied on equipment which requires frequent
maintenance and demands large footprint and
weight on a platform.

Capstone Turbine Corporation® is the world’s
leading producer of low-emission microturbine
systems, and was first to market with commercially
viable air bearing turbine technology. The
company has shipped over 8,000 of Capstone
MicroTurbines® to customers worldwide. These
award-winning systems have logged millions of
documented runtime operating hours.
With nearly two decades of offshore experience
and more than three decades of onshore
applications, Capstone continues to provide the
best power solution for platform power from a
few kilowatts to several megawatts with support
channels all over the globe.
Derived through advanced engineering
based on proven turbine design, microturbines
represent a watershed energy management
solution. Transforming the way businesses
think about energy production, Capstone

solutions significantly reduce operating
costs, ensure power availability, and help
preserve the environment with its near-zero
emissions profile.

The Technical Effectiveness
of Next Generation
Microturbine Technology
Perfect for both manned and unmanned
platforms, Capstone microturbines can be
fueled with unprocessed wellhead gas to provide
continuous load following power down to an idle
and up to a few megawatts in easily manageable,
redundant modules from 30kW to 1 MW.
Capstone offers models that are UL Certified
to meet Class I, Division 2 NFPA 496. For nonhazardous-area placement, a more affordable
package is available for each model. Nonhazardous units are UL-certified to meet the
new UL220 and UL1741 category for engine
generators fueled with “raw natural gas.”
Capstone microturbines use no oil, lubricants,
coolants, other hazardous materials, or even
water. This eliminates transporting, storage, and
costly hazmat spill/leakage issues associated with
engine gensets and large turbines.
The Capstone platform power solution
dramatically reduces scheduled maintenance
to mere filter changes twice a year. The first
minor scheduled maintenance is at 20,000 hours,
an overhaul is suggested at 40,000 hours.

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With nearly two decades
of offshore experience
and more than three
decades of onshore
applications, Capstone
continues to provide the
best power solution
for platform power

from a few kilowatts to
several megawatts with
support channels all
over the globe

Above is a simplified comparison table between
a Capstone microturbine and a comparable
reciprocating engine.
Reduced frequency of maintenance intervals not
only means lower operating costs, it also means
a significant reduction in transportation costs for
material and, most importantly, of personnel. In
addition, partial load operation on reciprocating
engines can increase maintenance. Capstone
microturbines have the same maintenance
intervals over the entire power range. Without
any exhaust treatment, typical emissions of
a Capstone microturbine averages five times
lower mass of pollutants when compared to
reciprocating engines of similar capacity.
The modularity offered by the Capstone
microturbines offers a simpler solution for
redundancy options. For example for a
150kW load, four 65kW modules can supply
the required load as well as provide N+1
redundancy. Traditionally, two 200kW
reciprocating engines would be used for this
application. The recip. installation requires a larger
footprint on the platform.
Capstone Turbine Corporation was the first
to produce microturbine systems certified by
Underwriters Laboratories (UL) for Class I, Division
2 hazardous locations. Capstone’s microturbine
system offers a good value proposition for
offshore platforms with its small footprint and
low maintenance features.

platforms in the Gulf of Mexico. Today 27 of these
platforms count on Capstone microturbines to
generate prime power.
Since 2002, PEMEX has expanded its fleet
of Capstone microturbines specially designed
for Class I, Division 2 hazardous locations. The
environmentally-focused company continues to
rely on Capstone microturbines because they
meet strict emissions requirements, uphold
high reliability in dangerous environments,
and support high-production levels, which
peaked at an average of 2.5 million barrels per
day in 2010.
The Campeche Bay microturbines, which
operate on sour gas and wellhead gas that
flows through the 27 offshore platforms, replaced
high-maintenance diesel generators incapable
of surviving the harsh oceanic, corrosive
environment. The Capstone microturbines,
which range from 30kW to 65kW of power, run
safely in hazardous locations, take up minimal

space, and require very limited maintenance.
The microturbines installed on such PEMEX
platforms as Production Assets Cantarell, KuMaloob-Zaap, and Poza Rica-Altamira in the
Gulf of Mexico, provide continuous, reliable, clean
power for each platform’s SCADA (Supervisory
Control and Data Acquisition), fire and gas,
emergency shutdown, communication, lighting,
and auxiliary systems.
In 2011, Industrias Energeticas SA de CV,
Capstone’s distributor in Ciudad Del Carmen,
Campeche, Mexico, secured an $8.6 million
order with PEMEX that ensures blanket service
support coverage for the 46-unit PEMEX
Microturbine fleet in Campeche Bay.
This year, PEMEX will be starting up their
largest offshore microturbine installation. Six
200 kW microturbines will provide clean and
reliable power to one of their most important
communications platforms in this region.
Petróleos Mexicanos
(PEMEX) Tampico, Mexico
After successful operation of microturbines,
PEMEX has continued to expand the use of
this technology in other operating regions.
This offshore platform is in the Gulf of Mexico
off the coast of Tampico. This site has
two Capstone 30kW, Class I, Division 2
Microturbine systems.

PETRÓLEOS MEXICANOS (PEMEX) PLATFORM,
TAMPICO, MEXICO

Capstone has been successfully received
in Mexico, not just offshore, but also onshore.
Close to 200 units have been deployed in landbased installations including Oil and Gas as well
as commercial and industrial facilities. Capstone’s
presence in Mexico continues to gain strength
as it participates in important events such as
the “Environmental Expo” in Monterrey, Mexico,
which was a part of Governor Schwarzenegger’s
Mexico Trade Mission on November 8 –10, 2006.
High level representatives of the Monterrey
government, private companies, and Governor
Schwarzenegger attended the expo.

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Since the microturbines
do not use any oil,
lubricants, or cooling,
there is no extra
cost to haul away
used materials

Wintershall, North Sea, The Netherlands
The high reliability of Capstone microurbines
inspired a leading oil and gas producer in 2002 to
build the world’s first North Sea platform designed
specifically for microturbines. The four Capstone
C65 microturbines onboard the Wintershall Q4C
platform provide all the prime power to the
manned platform. They are upgrades from the
original C60 microturbines installed in 2002. The
C65 microturbines are installed in a specially
designed nonhazardous area engine room. The
units run on wellhead gas conditioned onboard,
saving Wintershall the cost of transporting
fuel to the platform. Even greater cost savings
come from the microturbines’ low maintenance
requirements. Unlike reciprocating engines, which
traditionally require at least four oil changes a
year, the microturbines onboard the Q4C platform
need just one annual filter change and operate
for 5 years before each overhaul.

Q4C PLATFORM, NORTH SEA, THE NETHERLANDS

In addition, reciprocating engines on platforms
require operators to pay a maintenance crew,
fly them to the platform on a helicopter, and
send a ship to haul the used oil to shore. Since
the microturbines do not use any oil, lubricants,
or cooling, there is no extra cost to haul away
used materials.

Two of the four C65 Microturbines run
continuously and supply 100–120kW of power
to the platform when operating unmanned. The
third microturbine provides additional power when
the platform is manned, and the fourth provides
N+1 redundancy which allows continuous power
supply even during MT maintenance. The four
microturbines are cycled automatically to equalize
run hours.
The success of the Q4C microturbines caught
the attention of other platform operators. Today,
microturbine-powered platforms are operating
throughout the North Sea, providing non-stop,
reliable power.

Future Outlook
Capstone’s offshore experience began nearly
15 years ago in the smaller shallow-water
production rigs. As smaller platforms are
decommissioned and larger platforms in deeper
waters offer better economies for operators,
Capstone responds with product offerings that
adapt to the changing market.
Four years ago, Capstone introduced the
200kW microturbine for hazardous locations. This
product quickly became adopted by operators
as far as South East Asia. Recently, a US-based
operator in the Cook Inlet, Alaska, started the first
1MW microturbine system offshore. Capstone’s
plan for the future is to continue product offerings,
including larger capacity microturbines, fitted for
Oil and Gas operations worldwide, with its simple,
yet reliable and clean technology.

The market for microturbines is expanding rapidly thanks largely to their growth

Engine Control Solutions

within the oil and gas market

TOGETHER WEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;RE
STRONGER

BUZZARD ENGINE IN CRASHFRAME

W

HETHER THE Y are manned or
unmanned, the one thing every
offshore oil rig definitely requires is power,
and generating that power has, until now, been
a dirty business. Traditional diesel powered
generators are large, heavy, inefficient and
dirty. Now though, an alternative approach
is available, through the increased use of
microturbine generators.
These units are more compact, cleaner
and efficient than existing technologies. They
offer the opportunity to utilise excess gasses,
reduce emissions and extend the life cycle of
equipment. As the next generation of products
become significantly more sophisticated,
they represent an integral part of the future for
oil and gas exploration.

What are Microturbines?
A microturbine is a small gas powered turbine
that can be used to provide power directly
to a facilityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s electrical distribution system. A
typical unit might feature a radial compressor
with turbine rotors, using just one stage of

each. Its construction is therefore very simple,
which produces additional reliability and
facilitates maintenance. They can run off waste
gasses found at the wellhead meaning they
require no additional fuel and can typically recover
exhaust energy to help produce combined
heating and electrical power capabilities.
They are used in homes and in many
businesses, and have the potential to pay a
significant return on investment in just a short
period of time. Not only do they reduce energy
consumption, bringing down carbon footprints,
as they do, but they also, reduce energy costs.
Small wonder then that businesses such as
Microsoft1 who recently invested in microturbines
to transform the way they manage power at
their data centre, are turning to the technology.
However, it is in the oil and gas market that it
is experiencing the most dramatic increase.
According to Capstone, one of the leading global
manufacturers of microturbines, the biggest area
of growth it is experiencing is in the oil and gas
market - a fact that contributed to a sharp increase
in its stock price of more than 40% during 20132.

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Microturbines represent
ideal power generation
units for remote, off-grid
locations, such as
those likely to be
found on an oil rig

Size of the Market in 2014
Until this point, much of the microturbine market
has been focused on industrial end use as a back
up to existing power supplies, but a number of
factors exist which create growth opportunities in
the microturbine market3.
The first is the growing demand for power.
Existing grids are coming under strain, which
means the need for backup generators,
which can address peak usage, is becoming
more urgent. Additionally, more stringent
environmental regulations are coming into
force encouraging companies to reduce
energy consumption and efficiency, for which
microturbines are a perfect fit.
Moreover, generating your own supply of
electricity presents an opportunity to sell excess
power back to the grid which, in itself, represents
an additional revenue stream. Smaller producers
may not generate power on a substantial scale
to sell back to the grid, but for larger users, this
represents a significant additional use.
Finally, the growth of power demands in remote
areas of the world where traditional supply cannot
reach means microturbines represent the best â&#x20AC;&#x201C;
and, in some cases, only â&#x20AC;&#x201C; option for delivering
reliable power supply.

Why Oil and Gas?
Microturbines represent ideal power generation
units for remote, off-grid locations, such as those
likely to be found on an oil rig. Their compact
size means they can be easily stored with
fewer of the weight issues that traditional units
bring. They present a much reduced footprint,
which, in turn, leaves much more space on
board the rig for other operations â&#x20AC;&#x201C; as well as
improving the quality of life on board the rig for
drill crews.
They can also be powered using excess oil
or gas reserves which would previously have
been burned off through flaring. The process of
flaring burns off fuel in order to prevent an
explosion, but it is costly, wastes a valuable
resource, and increases the release of
hydrocarbons into the atmosphere.

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More stringent global and regional
environmental regulations place prohibitive
penalties on the use of flaring, which means oil
companies are looking for viable alternatives. The
ability of microturbine generators to convert these
gases into useable fuel means companies not
only reduce waste and pollution, but also find
a form of electrical generation which can be
powered by the waste materials produced during
the drilling process. It represents an outstanding
solution which effectively solves many issues
all at once.

Developments of Technology
Early microturbine generators produced systems
with a typical power output of around 30KW and
were suitable for little more than use as a backup
system. There was also doubt about the electrical
efficiency and their performance in changeable
weather. It was not long, though, before the
leading manufacturers of microturbine technology
identified the oil and gas sector as an area of
considerable promise and began developing
products to suit.
Today microturbine generators typically have
individual power ratings of between 200 and
300KW, and packages of up to 1MW have recently
become available. These can be assembled in
multiple generator packs as high as 5MW and
even 10MW in power.
There exists further potential for combining
multiple energy packages into a single microgrid.
One control system could synchronise voltage
and power outputs, enabling them to function as
a single independent microgrid.
For all this potential, however, uptake remains far
from uniform. While new generation microturbine
generators represent an ideal option for newly
built oil platforms, especially those exploring
more remote areas, existing platforms still take
convincing. While undoubted potential exists in
terms of power output, cost and efficiency, they
still need to demonstrate these benefits in the
real world and, in particular, show that they are
more reliable and cost efficient than existing diesel
fuelled generators.

SPECIAL REPORT: NEXT GENERATION MICROTURBINE TECHNOLOGY

Proving a Point:
How Microturbines are
Demonstrating Their
Value in the Real World

On paper the benefits of microturbines appear clear, but to executives contemplating
a switch to this technology they need to see in practical terms how these solutions
can help them realise their goals

C

OMPARED WITH diesel powered
generators, the statistical argument in
favour of microturbines appears overwhelming.
They offer superior energy efficiency, a smaller
physical footprint, lower running costs and
easier maintenance. However, in order to
persuade a notoriously change-resistant
industry to abandon tried and tested systems
which have served them well for decades,
microturbines have to prove their worth in the
real world. This article will examine examples
around the world where they are demonstrating
practical applicability.

Natural Inertia
Any new technology encounters resistance
to adoption either through natural inertia or
through a fear of change. Oil and gas exploration
contains plenty of both. In those operations where
traditional diesel power has provided power for
decades, change comes slowly. The experienced
workforce will have become used to existing
technology and suspicious of anything new.
If the existing mode of power generation has
functioned well throughout its lifetime, shifting
to new methods represents an operational risk
as well as cost. Microturbines have traditionally
been viewed with caution because of their
susceptibility to changes in ambient conditions
and low electrical efficiency. In order to make
the change, operators will have to be confident
that these issues have been addressed, that the
benefits will outweigh the initial upfront cost of
installation and that the new system will be at least
as reliable as the old.
As oil and gas executives assess the value
proposition microturbines present they will
want to see how they can deliver on specific
requirements. These can be grouped simply

in the following ways: power output, durability,
cost, energy efficiency and emissions. Only by
assessing these key criteria will they be able to
definitively say whether or not they present a
compelling business case.

Power Requirements
Microturbines can be operated either in parallel
to existing solutions or as a sole power source
on its own. For example, if a rig derives its
power from the grid, a microturbine generator
can be used to supplement that power and
take over as emergency backup in the event of
power outages.
The size of the units can also vary depending on
the energy consumption of the drilling operation.
Typically, MT generators designed for use in oil
and gas can produce anywhere between 250 KW
and 1MW. Modern drilling techniques increasingly
require higher power output from generators. By
utilising multiple generators in parallel rigs can
produce power at rates of up to 5MW or even
10MW providing more than enough power to meet
requirements. Configuring multiple generator
sets in this fashion also increases the reliability
by introducing a redundancy contingency. Failure
in one generator set does not necessarily spell
complete plant shut down.

Durability
Generators will have to be housed within
durable casings to withstand all the rigours of
life on a drilling platform. Most manufacturers of
microturbine generators offer a choice between
cheaper models, designed to operate in moderate
conditions found in many existing oil fields, and
those which have been specifically tailored to
cope with hazardous environments. Capstone,
one of the leading, names in this sector, began by

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Microturbines can

process, they can effectively be self-sustaining,
powering themselves off waste excess gas
produced by the drilling. Their lack of hazardous
fluids, such as diesel fuel, coolants or lubricants
also reduce the possible impact on Alaska’s
delicate environment.

be operated either
in parallel to existing

Energy Efficiency
and the Emissions

solutions or as a sole
power source on its own

CAPSTONE OFFSHORE C30 C1D2

offering solutions for easy to reach locations, but
as they realised the business potential in offshore,
they progressively developed products with an
ability to function in harsher environments, which
complied with the Underwriters Laboratories (UL)
guidelines for hazardous locations4.

Costs
As illustrated elsewhere in this Report,
microturbines exhibit many cost savings over
and above diesel operated power solutions.
They require less maintenance, have fewer
moving parts, require no diesel fuel, are less
likely to break down and, in theory, will result in
less operational down time. These factors, in
combination, quickly repay the initial expense of
replacing existing machinery. For Hilcorp Alaska
LLC5, microturbines represented a key part of a
$500million investment to reduce their running
costs in their Alaska Cook inlet operation. They
purchased these ten oil rigs in 2012 from Chevron
and Marathon Oil, but despite achieving a 36%
production increase, have struggled to keep costs
under control.
The microturbines utilised by Hilcorp
represented a perfect fit for Alaska for a number
of reasons: Rising energy costs, remote
locations and a lack of state-wide grid
reliability. Because these microturbines run off
sour gas with no need to undergo a refinery

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While the bottom line will inevitably represent
the first and last thing energy companies are
concerned about, operators have discovered
that microturbines represent an easy and cost
effective way to meet emissions targets.
In 2008 PetroChina6 brought in two of Ingersoll
Rand’s, MT250 microturbine energy systems
to provide power at its wellhead sites in the
Changqing oil field. The value of these systems
lay in their ability to function off associated
gasses which were produced in addition to the
oil. Previously, this would have been burned off by
flare or direct discharge into the atmosphere – a
process that releases gasses with 21 times the
green house potential of CO2.
Because these turbines were able to use
these gasses as fuel, they not only managed to
instantly eliminate these emissions, but provided
themselves with a cheap and renewable source
of energy, negating the necessity for diesel to
fuel existing generators. This, in turn, helped the
Chinese government go a long way to realising its
conservation targets to cut energy consumption
by 20% between 2005 and 2010.

Conclusion
Like any new technology, microturbines have to
do much more than just demonstrate their value
on paper. They have to show it in the real world. In
the oil and gas industry new developments bring
with it risk and uncertainty. In order to overcome it,
microturbines need to generate positive data from
real world implementation. As they do so, more
finance is being invested into the development of
updated, more efficient and more robust models,
ensuring that the effectiveness of tomorrow’s
generation of microturbines will far outstrip the
benefits on offer today.

SPECIAL REPORT: NEXT GENERATION MICROTURBINE TECHNOLOGY

Why Microturbine
Power Generation
Outshines the Rest

Engine Powered Services
Engine Powered Solutions

Jo Roth, Staff Writer

Explosion Protection Systems

Engine Control Solutions

In a bid to become cleaner and more efficient, drilling companies are looking

TOGETHER WE’RE
STRONGER

to alternative power options to traditional diesel. In this article we explore what
advantages microturbines have over traditional methods

G

ENERATING POWER offshore is a
difficult, costly and dirty business.
Located far out in remote locations, rigs have
generally needed to generate their own power,
normally through the use of diesel-powered
generator units, which cater for the complete
energy requirements of the facility.
The problem with these is that they are
inefficient, heavy and require constant
maintenance. In addition, they also depend on
using lubricants and coolants which require the
use of toxic chemicals. In the event of spillage
these can increase the danger to the environment.
To address this there are several options. One
comes in delivering power from the shore. Some
innovative solutions use HVDC light7 to bring
power from the shore to the rig. For a group of
platforms, a converter station is located on one
from which power can then be distributed to the
others via AC.
This option eliminates platform-based CO2
emissions, and reduces the need for bulky,
heavy and cumbersome diesel generators,
freeing up space and improving the working
environment on board the rigs. But, as attractive
as this option appears, it makes the rig reliant on
power delivered through a cabling system from
the shore.

Independent Power
Like their diesel powered predecessors,
microturbine generators, can be configured
either to supplement existing power supplies or
to operate as a sole source of power. Because
of the need to program in redundancy features,
multiple generator sets can be included into a
single package in order to ensure power supply
remains in the event of failure within one or more
parts of the system.
As the default option for oil and gas platforms,
diesel power represents a known entity. However,
newly built facilities are turning to microturbine

generators as a safer, more reliable and cost
effective alternative to diesel. Here’s a closer
examination of how these two systems compare
side by side.

Operation
The internal mechanics of diesel powered
generators are complicated. They require fluids
for lubricants as well as water, or coolant liquid, for
the cooling systems. Microturbines, on the other
hand, possess just one moving part and are aircooled requiring no lubricants or fluids – not even
water. With fewer mechanical parts, the potential
for faults is reduced as well as the complexity of
maintenance or replacement.

Fuel Efficiency
Diesel generators require diesel to be shipped
out to the rig which naturally incurs a running
cost and contributes to on-site carbon emissions.
Fuel consumption is typically 50% with waste
emissions. Microturbines are far more fuelefficient and can operate off untreated waste
gas emitted as part of the production process,
enabling manufacturers to market it as a major
area of growth potential.
When crude oil is extracted, raw natural gas
tends to also be produced, especially in remote
areas which lack the pipelines for the safe
transportation of this gas. Typically, in order to
prevent explosions, this gas is flared – a practice
which produces vast quantities of harmful
emissions every year.
According to figures from the World Bank8,
approximately 150 billion cubic meters (or 5.3
trillion cubic feet) of natural gas is flared annually.
This equates to a quarter of the annual gas
consumption in the USA.
Increasingly, global regulations are cracking
down on the use of flaring which means drilling
companies have to search for alternatives.
Microturbines offer an attractive solution. Not

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Typically, a microturbine
generator possesses a
footprint of around half
that of a diesel generator
while producing the

same power output
only are they a safe and cost effective way to
reduce flaring, but they can also put that excess
gas to good use as a source of electrical power
for the facility.

Maintenance
Maintenance intervals can be four times as
long with microturbines as diesel generators.
According to Capstone’s own figures,
maintenance is required at 8,000 hours
compared with 2,000 hours for diesel. A complete
overhaul is recommended every 40,000 hours
while diesel generators may need to be replaced
as often as every 10,000 hours.
The absence of multiple moving parts means
replacing or repairing components is relatively
easy compared with diesel generators which
possess multiple parts and need replacement
of internal fluids, resulting in higher maintenance
costs in addition to frequency.

Downtime
Every hour lost costs thousands of dollars in
revenue for an operator. Diesel generators
require an average downtime of 200 hours
per year, while Capstone claims its generators
require only eight hours in total. In one of the
company’s longest running projects, a pair
of the company’s C30 MT generators have
been running virtually continuously for nearly a
decade. This is despite operating in temperatures
varying from 34 degrees Celsius in the summer
to minus 54 in the winter9. The operator decided
not to replace the turbine assemblies at the
recommended 40,000 hours, and it has so far
paid off with uninterrupted running.

Combined Heat and Power
Microturbines not only produce electrical
power, but they also produce a usable
heat resource which can produce hot water,
drive absorption chillers for refrigeration and
other uses. The unique features of a microturbine
mean that it is able to provide this dual
12 | WWW.OFFSHORETECHNOLOGYREPORTS.COM

output with significantly less input than
conventional methods.
For example, with a traditional energy source,
power would be needed both to generate
electricity and to fire the boiler. The energy
efficiency of the average boiler is 80% according
to the national average while, for the grid, it’s
down at 30%. This compares with an 80%
efficiency within the microturbine unit enabling
it to produce the same amount of output while
requiring substantially less input.

Rig Compatibility
A less mentioned, but equally important aspect
is the effect microturbine generators have in their
application on the rigs. Typically, a microturbine
generator possesses a footprint of around half that
of a diesel generator while producing the same
power output. This means that multiple generator
sets can be added, creating more power within
the same space, or the amount of deck space
utilised by the generator can be reduced
contributing to an improved working environment
on board the rig.
In addition to this, microturbines can run
at a reduced vibration compared with diesel
generators reducing the levels of noise pollution
released into the surrounding areas. Again this
further enhances life on board the rig.

Conclusion
Microturbines represent more than a simple
evolutionary step for power generation on
board offshore oil facilities. They have up to half
the footprint space, require no oil or lubricants
to function and can be put in place simply
and efficiently. Where a diesel unit will require
some form of maintenance every 2000 hours,
microturbines can go 8,000 hours and when
that happens the overall level of down time is
restricted to 8 hours per year as opposed to 200
hours. If the art of success is the ability to develop
small gains, these represent a true revolution in
the way oil rigs consume energy.

SPECIAL REPORT: NEXT GENERATION MICROTURBINE TECHNOLOGY

Bigger is Better – The
Future of Microturbine
Electric Generators

Engine Powered Services
Engine Powered Solutions

Tom Cropper, Editor

Explosion Protection Systems

Engine Control Solutions

As oil firms move further afield to explore deeper sources further from the shore,
microturbines are playing an increasingly important role in guaranteeing safe,

TOGETHER WE’RE
STRONGER

clean and reliable energy

T

HE MODERN world presents oil and
gas companies with what seems like an
impossible challenge. On the one hand market
forces demand higher production and reduced
costs, while, on the other, governments and
the public require better safety and a lower
impact on the environment. It’s a bit like asking
a racing driver to go faster while making sure
they don’t crash – the first action makes the
second much less likely.
Recent history has shown what can go wrong.
BP’s 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill arose because
basic safety protocols had been missed in an
attempt to maximise production and minimise
costs. The resultant inquiry heard evidence10
that in the run up to the accident, the rig was
hit by multiple power outages and blackouts.
More recently, in March 2013, a power failure on
board Statoil’s Oseberg oil platform in the North
Sea, forced the evacuation of the 700 crew and
shut down the rig while the company searched
for alternative arrangements to maintain power.
The outage in turn led to a gas leak and, although
it was stopped, the incident highlighted the
business and safety considerations caused by
power failure on board a rig. Aside from the very
real danger of another serious leak with all the
environmental and reputation damage entailed,
the operators had to cope with the economic loss
caused by the shutdown.
When a rig is located close to the shore, the
implications are serious enough, but for remote
deep water platforms, safely evacuating the
crew represents a major challenge, and down
time will, by necessity, be that much longer. In
an environment in which the demands being
placed on power supply systems on board rigs
are multiplying, the step into the next generation
of small and efficient microturbine based power
generators represents a critical step forward
for the industry. They offer that magic bullet of

providing higher power, while reducing emissions
and improving safety on board the rig.

The Search for More Oil
Much has been written about the limits of our
current oil supply with many existing sources
running dry. Even so, demand looks set to
continue rising well into the third decade of the
21st century. In order to meet this challenge, oil
companies are first finding ways to maximise
existing reservoirs and are secondly looking for
new sources further away from shore in deeper
water. Both goals will require substantially
increased levels of power.
In their search to maximise production from a
single source, companies have transitioned from
simple vertical drilling techniques to horizontal
drilling. Once the petroleum reservoir has been
located, operators use new steerable motors to
turn horizontally so that more of the well bore is
exposed. This increases production from a single
drill and reduces the need for additional drilling.
However, this, has higher drill power needs
putting a strain on drill power requirements.
These modern techniques need power output
of between two and five megawatts requiring
multiple generators positioned in parallel. This
requirement for more power means that those
generators which can produce the same level
of power, encased within a smaller space will
have a significant advantage over larger, less
efficient models. This configuration also has an
advantage in that failure in one generator set does
not necessarily spell complete plant shut down.
The move into deep water also creates new
requirements. Located far from the shore,
facilities will have to become self-sufficient for
power and develop a generator system that can
run reliably, continuously at maximum power.
Diesel generators have been used to meet these
challenges, but they require regular maintenance,

www.turner-eps.co.uk

WWW.OFFSHORETECHNOLOGYREPORTS.COM | 13

SPECIAL REPORT: NEXT GENERATION MICROTURBINE TECHNOLOGY

By utilising these
gasses, microturbines
simultaneously reduce
the running costs while
addressing one of the
major environmental
concerns of oil drilling

coolants and lubricants to keep them running,
and of course fuel.
Microturbines have the advantage at every
turn. They have just the one moving part, and
require no hazardous fluids. Maintenance is
reduced by more than 50% and even then the
requirements are simple, and in addition they can
run off gasses produced as part of the production
process. These were previously either released
directly into the atmosphere or flared off in
processes which greatly increased a rig’s carbon
footprint. By utilising these gasses, microturbines
simultaneously reduce the running costs while
addressing one of the major environmental
concerns of oil drilling.
Even so, the expansion into new areas imposes
new challenges on microturbines. Newer models
will need to be more robust, bigger, more efficient,
more reliable and able to withstand the harshest
of all conditions.
Several manufacturers upgraded their offerings
to produce microturbines suitable for hazardous
conditions and operating at higher power.
Capstone’s hazardous environment microturbines
have proved popular especially with operators in
the Far East, while for one operator in Alaska’s
Cook inlet they delivered one of the first systems
to provide 1MW of power.

water filters and air conditioners all need to be
functioning effectively for 100% of the time.
Systems must demonstrate immense durability,
swift and easy maintenance together with backup
units to provide a reliable redundancy contingency
to cover down time. To supply these needs,
PEMEX decided to use microturbines. These
promised to provide the required combination
of lower overall cost, smaller footprint and better
reliability, than their current land-based distributed
energy systems could manage.
Each systems is made out of an outer system
shelter housing either backup batteries, controls,
redundant HVAC A environmental control systems
and power conditioning. All these were packaged,
alongside gas conditioning equipment onto a
steel skid which meant the entire power system
could be installed as a single unit. This minimised
the footprint space of the unit and interference
with other activities on board the platform.
As well as fossil fuel based microturbines
designed to run continuously, the unit incorporates
multiple back up microturbines as a redundancy
capacity. The system was designed with the
specific needs of an offshore platform in mind,
maximising reliability and minimising installation
costs.

Unique Challenges
of Deep Water

If the future of oil exploration is deep water, then
the demands being placed on all equipment
will continue to rise. The major manufacturers
such as Capstone, Ingersoll Rand and others
are continuing to invest in updated and more
sophisticated next generation microturbines
which will continue to achieve that once thought
impossible aim of producing more power, at a
lower cost.

A vivid example of the unique requirements of
deep water platforms can be found with the
PEMEX rigs in the Gulf of Mexico11. Here, in some
of the most hazardous conditions to be found
anywhere in the world, critical capabilities such
as communications, video, process controls, fire
and gas, emergency shutdown controls, pumps,
14 | WWW.OFFSHORETECHNOLOGYREPORTS.COM

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